Project Description
With
support from and in collaboration with the National Democratic Institute
(NDI), the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies conducted a multi-faceted
feasibility study to assess the need for the establishment of a Municipal
Resource Center (MRC) in Lebanon. The objectives of the study were
to identify the main challenges faced by municipalities, to pinpoint
their needs, to determine municipal officials' receptivity to establishing
an MRC in Lebanon, and to prepare a programmatic municipal proposal.
Following
several consultative and preparatory meetings with NDI, and to achieve
the project objectives, the LCPS launched a field research that consisted
of three components:
1.
Implementation of a national survey,
2.
Conducting 28 in-depth interviews, and
3.
Holding four focus groups with municipal officials.
The workshop
assembled 44 participants of which 15 were Municipal officials from
all the regions in Lebanon, and the rest were divided among researchers
and experts in municipal development as well as academics and NGO
representatives who work with municipalities. (See participant list,
annex # 10). The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Salim Nasr, LCPS
General Director, and Mrs. Heba El-Shazli, Deputy Regional Director
of NDI, who presented an overview and purpose of the project.
The
workshop was an opportunity to bring together MPs and MCMs to come
together from different parts of the country and to share their views
about common issues of interest and concern to them. The discussions
generated from the workshop were rich in substance and they provided
the LCPS team with useful feedback on the results they had introduced
to the participants. Conclusive team meetings were held in order to
prepare the outline for the final report and discuss the draft narration.
In-house sessions were also useful to debate and agree upon the various
ideas for the design, functions and programs that would be undertake
by a potential Municipal Development Program whose main purpose would
be to empower municipalities and build their capacities to better
serve their community.
